Typographical machine.



J. R McRAE.

TYPOGRAPHlCAL MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.12. 191s.

Patented Ma y H, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET -l.

WITNESS' J. R. MCRAE.

TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE.

APPUCATION FILED MAR. 12. 1918.

1 ,266,294 Patented May 14, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LV/TNESSES INVENTOR.

run srarns PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. MCRAE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A$SIGNOR T0 MERGENTHALER LIN'OTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE.

Application filed March 12, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Joint R. MGRAE, a subject of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typo graphical Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to typographical machines, such as linotype machines of the gen eral organization represented in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 436,532, to O. Mergenthaler, wherein circulating matrices are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print and then assembled in line together with spacers, the composed line transferred to the face of a mold, the mold filled with molten metal to form a slug or linotype against the matrices which produce the type characters thereon, and the matrices and spacers thereafter elevated and returned through distributing mechanism to the magazines from which they started.

More particularly, it relates to the means whereby, after the slug is cast, the matrices and spacers are returned to their places of storage.

It is the purpose of my invention to sim plify and facilitate the manual control of certain of these parts, as will hereafter more fully appear from the detailed description thereof.

In. the accompanying drawings, I have shown my invention in preferred form and by way of example, and as applied to a linotype machine, but many changes and variations may be made therein, and in its mode of application, which will still be comprised within its spirit.

Generally speaking, I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to any specific form or embodiment, except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear skeleton view, partly broken away and in section, of a portion of a linotype machine having my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a detail plan of the specific addition;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14', 1918.

Serial No. 221,914.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in different position; and

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective.

As illustrated in the Mergenthaler patent previously referred to, or as is customary in the somewhat modified commercial linotype machine, after the slug is cast, and the first elevator (not shown) rises to its uppermost position, the line of matrices and spacers is transferred therefrom by the slide S into the upper transfer channel R and the matrices thus engaged with the second elevator bar A. Thebar A is carried by the arm B which is suitably actuated to move the bar upwardly into registration with the distributer box E to which the matrices are shifted in the ordinary way. The spacer hook U is operatively connected to the slide S,-in such manner that when the slide moves the line into the transfer channel, the hook advances and engages the spacers remaining therein, and by its return movement restores them to the spacer magazine. The slide S is held in its retracted or inoperative position by the pivoicd pawl or detent F. In normal operation, the detent F is tripped to release the slide by the contact therewith of the abutment A connected to the second elevator, in such manner that when the latter descends into operative relation to the channel R, the slide is permitted to operate.

The means for actuating the slide S and hook U are substantially similar to those presented in Letters Patent of the United States to. O. Mergenthaler, No. 557,000, wherein the parts are designated by the same reference characters. The slide S is operated by the intermediate link 8 connected to an upright arm 8 mounted upon a shaft (designated herein by the letter L) which shaft has a depending arm 8 arranged to bear against the side face of the cam wheel 8. This shaft is also provided with a second dependthe spring 8 acts to shift the slide in,-

position. When this happens, it is necessary for the operator to leave his place at the ke board and pass to the rear of the machine, in order to correct the difficulty and clear the parts. At this time, the slide S is held in its outward or inoperative position against the force of the spring 8 by the detent F, although the cam s has continued to move and has passed out of its restraining contact with the arm 5 If new the second elevator is freed and permitted to descend, it trips the detent and releases the slide S, which shoots forward with great rapidity, because it no longer under the control of the cam, and projects the line in front of it with excessive violence and frequently with disastrous results. This difliculty subjects the operator to great inconvenience, and entirely because it is impos sible to control the slide at the rear of the machine simultaneously with the clearing and lowering of the second elevator.

To overcome the objection, means have been provided whereby the actuating devices may be conveniently governed from the rear ofthe machine and at the same time that the second elevator is being manipulated, as shown in Letters Extent of the United tates to H. A. Armstron No. 1,106,610. This result is accomplished by mounting an arm or handle M on the rear of the shaft L, inproximity to the arm B of the second elevator, and so arranged that when the operator lowers the second elevator into relation to the channel R, and at any time before the abutment A engages the detent F, he may seize the handle M and prevent the too rapid movement of the slide S by the unresisted spring 8. This restoration of the parts to normal position also effects the restarting of the automatic mechanism in the manner well understood in the arm.

It has been customary to provide commercial linotypes with a horizontally movable latch or detent C mounted at the front of the machine and adapted to be moved manually into engagement with the spacer hook U (see Figs. 2 and e) to holdthe hook in inoperative position, as set forth in the Mergenthaler Patent, No. 436,532. Due to'the positive connection of the spacer hook U to the transfer slide S through the arms 8 and s shaft lL, etc, as previously described, the

locking of the hook effects the simultaneous locking of the slide in such manner that the line of matrices and spacers remains in the first elevator and may be thereby returned into operative relation to the casting mechanism. In this way, by the manipulation of the latch or detent C, successive casts may be made from the same assembled line, until the mechanism be restored to normal condition by moving the latch to unlocking position.

The parts so far described are or may be of any usual or preferred construction, and in themselves constitute no part of my present invention, except as hereinafter specitied.

it occasionally happens in use that when the elevator bar A is prevented from descending at. the proper time, and the operator cons quently has to leave his place at the keyboard and pass to the rear of the machine to correct the difficulty, he first locks the hook U and slide S by means of the latch C. When this occurs, he is unable to control the mechanism and ease over the parts by the handle M because they are held out of action by the latch, and he is unable to release them because of the location of the latch at the front of the machine. To obviate this difficulty the parts are so constructed that the latch may be firstdisengaged by the initial manipulation of the handle M as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, this manipulation being permitted by reason of a slight amount of lost motion in the parts controlled by said handle.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it will be noted that the hook U is formed at one edge with a recess or depression U having an inclined side, and that the latch or detent C is formed with a corresponding projection C adapted to engage therein. Fig. 2 shows the locked condition of the parts with the latch C in position to hold the hook U, and consequently the connected transfer slide S, in inoperative condition. When it is desired to break this locking connection, so as to permit the operator at the rear of the machine to ease the parts over by the controlling handle M, he first moves the handle slightly in the "opposite direction, the effect of which, due to the action of the inclined side of the depression U upon the projection C is to cam the latch C to its inoperative or unlocking position as shown in ,Fig. 3, when the parts are freed so that they may be moved by the spring 8 under the control machine, but obviously many modifications and alterations therein, and in its mode of adaptation, will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, Without departure from its scope.

Having thus described my invention, its construction and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a typographical machine, the combination of the line transfer device, actuating means therefor, a manually operable latch at the front of the machine to hold the transfer device in inoperative position, and means located at the rear of the machine to shift the latch and free the transfer device.

2. In a typographical machine, the combination of the line transfer device normally locked against action, unlocking and actuating means therefor, a manually operable latch at the front of the machine to hold the transfer device in inoperative position, and means located at the rear of the machine to shift the latch and free the transfer device.

3. In a typographical machine, the combination of the transfer device S, its operating arm '8 a fore-and-aft rock shaft L upon which the arm is mounted, a spring 8 connected to the shaft for operating the transfer device, the cam s to control the movement of the transfer device under the influence of the spring, a manually operable latch C at the front of the machine to hold the transfer device ininoperative position, and the handle M mounted upon the rear end of the rock shaft to shift the latch and free the transfer device and to control its movement when not under the control of the cam.

4:. In a typographical machine, the combination of the transfer device S normally locked against action, the second elevator adapted to release it, the spring 8 for operating the transfer device when released by the elevator, a manually operable latch at the front of the machine to hold the transfer device in inoperative position, and the handle M connected to the transfer device and located in proximity to the second elevator to shift the latch and free the transfer de- Vice and to control its movement under the influence of the spring 8 at the time of its release by the second elevator.

5. In a typographical machine, the c0mbination of the line transfer device S normally locked against action and adapted to be released automatically by one of the machine parts, a spring for operating the transfer device when released, a periodically oper' ated cam to control the movement of said device under the influence of the spring but adapted to move out of operative relation to said device when locked, a manually operable latch to hold the transfer device in inoperative position, and means under the control of the operator for shifting the latch and freeing the transfer device and for controlling its movement under the influence of the spring when not under the control of the cam.

6. In a typographical machine, the combination of the spacer restoring hook U formed in its edge with the depression U and a latch pivoted to the machine frame and adapted to hold the hook in retracted position, said latch being formed with the projection C to seat in the depression U when the latch is in locking position, and to be cammed outwardly to shift the latch to unlocking position when the hook is re tracted.

7. In a typographical machine, the combination of the spacer hook U formed with the depression U and the latch 0 formed with the projection C In testimony whereof, I have aifixed by signature hereto.

JOHN R. MoRAE.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner 0! Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

